Smoke exhaust apparatus



Dec. 3, 1957 J. P5 JOHNSON SMOKE EXHAUST APPARATu Filed Aug. 26} 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l6 INVEVTOR. JAY D. Jam/soy Dec. 3, 1957 J. P. JOHNSON 2,814,979 SMOKE EXHAUST APPARATUS 'Filed Aug. 26, 1954 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INKENTOR. JAY Jaw/solv- ATTOEA/E Y5 United States Patent 2,814,979 SMOKE EXHAUST APPARATUS Jay P. Johnson, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to The Swartwout Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of @lhio Application August 26, 1954, Serial N 0. 452,279 13 Claims. (Cl. 98-42) This invention relates to roof ventilating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus which normally closes a roof opening and which is designed to open automatically in event of fire, inter alia, to exhaust smoke and gases from within the building.

Smoke generated by uncontrolled fires in buildings and similar structures is a definite obstacle to fire fighting operations. Such fires often generate smoke faster than conventional ventilating systems can remove it and hence the resulting smoke and gas accumulations become so dense that the source or sources of burning are blanketed and concealed, and firemen are blocked from access to the building interior. Inadequate facilities for removal or exhaust of smoke have been cited many times in the past as principal factors responsible for the total destruction by fire of buildings that could have been saved had smoke been removed from the interior of the buildings. My invention comprehends a solution of this problem.

A general object of my invention is the provision of automatic smoke exhaust apparatus which opens to provide a maximum free exhaust area through which smoke and gases can pass from the interior to the exterior of a building. Another object is the provision of a roof mounted exhaust device which quickly opens automatically in event of fire and which also is manually operable. Another object is the provision of roof exhaust apparatus which is completely weathertight when closed.

Other objects are the provision of exhaust apparatus with gravity opening dampers insuring quick positive opening of the exhaust channel in event of emergency; the provision of apparatus of this type in which the free open area of the apparatus is more than eighty percent of the area of the roof opening over which it is fitted; the provision of a smoke ventilator constructed to prevent wind currents from affecting exhaust flow and which promotes eduction of smoke and gases from the building; the provision of a novel damper hinge construction with no separate parts and designed to permit free operation of the dampers under all conditions; the provision of apparatus of this type with means for trapping and concentrating excessive heat so as to insure immediate opening of the dampers in the event of fire; and the provision of apparatus which is eflicient in operation, economical to make, easy to install and completely fireproof.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a perspective view of ventilating apparatus or unit embodying my invention, the end baffle being cut away and the dampers being shown in the closed position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the dampers in the open position, one of the end bafiles having been omitted to show the interior of the structure.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the apparatus taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the curb flashing end wall as viewed from the interior of the unit.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a damper which forms a part of the apparatus, the damper being cut away to show structural details.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of Figure 6 and showing the weatherproof joint between the damper and flashing end wall.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figures 9 and 10 are transverse sections through the damper hinge showing the position of the parts when the damper is open (Figure 9) and closed (Figure 10).

Figure 11 is a view partly in section of the quick release mechanism for opening the dampers.

Briefly my invention comprehends a roof ventilator with downwardly opening dampers hinged at the sides of the frame opening and swingable to a closed position with their inner ends spaced apart and engaging under the sides of a longitudinally extending central hood or housing. The ventilator frame is designed to fit over the roof opening :so that the dampers when fully opened extend down against the edges of the roof opening and define a free open area of maximum width and length. The dampers are supported in their closed position by fusible links located under the central hood and drop down by gravity to the full open position when these links are melted by excessive heat incident to a fire in the building. integrally formed hinges on the dampers and curb flashing cannot corrode or freeze and insure rapid opening of the dampers when required or desired. Provision also is made for manually opening and closing the dampers, when desired, either from within the buiding or from the roof. Vertical side and end baffles extend above the plane of the roof and protect the ventilator opening from wind currents affecting exhaust flow and also serve as a guard around the opening.

The preferred form of my invention herein specifically illustrated and described comprises a ventilator structure, see Figures 1 and 2, which fits over a generally rectangular opening 0, see Figure 3, in the flat roof R of a building and which is supported in this position on an upstanding curb C defining the opening by means of curb flashing 10 constituting the lower part of the ventilator structure. The ventilator shown in the drawings, in practicable commercial form, fits over a roof opening measuring 9' 9" long by 5' 9" Wide and has an overall width (in the plane of the paper in Figure 3) of 6 5", a length (the direction into the paper in Figures 1 and 2.) at the base of 10 5" and above the base of 9' 9", and extends approximately 2' above the plane of the roof. For consistency of terminology, the terms length and Width used in the following description of the ventilator and its components refer to dimensions taken respectively in the direction of the long dimension, that is, length of the roof opening and its width. Similarly, the sides of the unit refer to the parts which extend parallel to the long dimension of the unit, and the ends are the exterior parts which traverse the long dimension.

The curb flashing l0 pivotally carries vertically swingable dampers i1 and 12 along its sides and at its ends supports a central longitudinally extending upwardly projecting bonnet or hood 14. Vertical side baflles 15 are supported on the curb flashing 10 and overlap and are spaced outwardly from the sides of the flashing at the lower end and at the upper end extend above the top of the hood 14. End baflles 16 are secured to the ends of baflies 15 and lie flush against the ends of the hood and the curb flashing. The baifles thus form a continuous open ended band or guard around the parts of the ventilator structure above the roof level.

The curb flashing is essentially Z-shaped in cross section, see Figures 3, 9 and 10, and has a lower portion 13 overhanging the roof curb C, a flat part 19 resting on top of the curb, and a vertical wall indicated at 20 along the sides of the unit and at 20' at each end. The tops of flashing side walls 20 have inverted channel shaped flanges 21, each comprising an outturned strip 22 and down turned end leg 23 which extends parallel to the side wall 20. The channel shaped tops 21 constitute the stationary part of continuous longitudinally extending hinges which permit the dampers to swing open and closed.

The end walls 20' of the curb flashing, one of which is shown in Figure 7, have similar channel shaped top flanges l 24 with inwardly and downwardly bent legs 25, 26 and within which vertical flanges 31 on the damper ends extend when the dampers are closed to make a weathertight fit. 'In order to permit water to drain from the dampers when closed, flanges 24 on flashing end walls 20 are inclined upwardly from the sides toward the center of the unit, see Figure 4, the angle of incline defining a modest downward pitch in the dampers when they are closed. Water draining from the closed dampers passes to the roof from between the curb flashing and the lower ends of the side baflles 15 which are spaced from the flashing for this purpose. A central upwardly projecting extension A, Figure 4, on flashing end wall 20' fits within the ends of hood 14 in juxtaposition with the hood end wall 43 and locates the hood centrally on the ventilat-or unit.

Side baflles 15 are supported on the curb flashing 10 and are spaced outwardly from the dampers by means of brackets 27, see Figures 3 and 6, secured to the flat portion 19 of the curb flashing. The lower portion of these 'baffies are angled outwardly as shown and are spaced above curb flashing to facilitate drainage of water from the closed dampers to the roof.

Dampers 11 and 12 are substantially identical in construction and, like the other structural parts of the ventilator, preferably are formed of corrosion resistant sheet metal. Each damper comprises a planar preferably rectangularly shaped body portion 30, see Figure 5, having upturned flanges 31, 31 at its ends and a similar flange 33 along the inner side. The outer, left as viewed in Figure 5, side of the damper is formed with a downturned channel shaped integral hinge part 34, which extends the length of the damper and comprises an outer leg 35, an inner or end leg 36 which extends, parallel to, the outer leg, and an intermediate Web portion 37 forming the bottom wall of the channel. This constitutes the movable part of the damper hinge and is, so formed to be telescopically interfitted with the stationary part of the hinge, that is, the flange 21 on flashing side wall 20 in the manner indicated in Figures 9 and 10.

The width and depth of the channels comprising the damper hinges are such that each damper is free to pivot about the top of the flashing side wall 20 through approximately 90 Without becoming disengaged therefrom. Thus the space between outer leg 35 and inner leg 36 of the damper hinge part 34 is greater than the vertical dimension of leg 23 on stationary flange-21, and the space between the body 30 and web 37 of the damper is greater than overall transverse dimensions or width of the stationary flange. The hinge is assembled by sliding the damper longitudinally of the flashing side Wall with the damper and flashing hinge parts telescoping together. It will be noted'that the hinge is self-enclosing and lies under the marginal side edge portions ofthe damper when same is closed, see Figure 9, and hence is fully protected from ingress of rain, snow, dust and the like. Even when the damper is in the open position, Figure 10, the hinge is substantially fully enclosed and protected. The hinge construction is not only simple and economical to manufacture, buteliminates the need for separate parts, such as hinge pins, and insures that the dampers can swing freely to their open position without sticking or binding at the hinges even after the dampers have been closed for extended periods of time.

Hood 14 extends the full length of the dampers and has parallel laterally spaced straight side walls 40 each of which has an outturned flange 41, see Figure 6, at the lower end against which the adjacent damper abuts when the latter is closed. The inverted V-s'haped top 42 of the hood directs water which falls on it to the dampers at the sides. The top and side walls of the hood connect at opposite ends to end walls 43, see Figures 1 and 2, which fit over and are secured to end walls 20 of the curb flashing. The lower parts of the ends of hood side walls 40 are recessed at 44, see Figure 8, .to receive the top flanges 24 of flashing end walls 20, the inner ends 45 of the flanges 24 terminating at the inner surfaces of the hood side walls. The vertical edge flanges 31, 33 of the closed dampers thus fit under end wall flanges 24 and under the hood 14 when closed and a continuous weather tight junction between the dampers and upper parts of the ventilator structure is provided.

In order to support the dampers in the closed position shown in Figures 1 and 3, a reel 45, see also Figure 6, on which is wound a plurality of cables 46, is disposed under the hood 14. The reel comprises an elongated pipe which extends the full length of the hood and which is supported fior rotation about its longitudinal axis on the end walls 43 of the hood. The free ends 47 of the cables 46 are connected to the inner side edges of the dampers and each includes a fusible link 48 at the point of connection to the dampers. Certain of the cables are wound around the reel in one direction and connect to one of the dampers while the other cables connected to the other damper are wound on the reel in the opposite direction. In order that the dampers can be manually opened and closed, the reel is connected at one end to a gear box 50, see Figures 3, 6 and 11 and is driven by an operating rod 51 which extends laterally through the side baflle 15 to a handle 52. Keyed to the shaft 51 Within the hood 14 is a sheave 53 over which an operating chain 55 passes :and' extends downwardly therefrom to the interior of the building. The dampers are opened and closed by turning the operating shaft 51, and in turn reel 45, in the appropriate direction, by means of the handle 52 from the roof or by means of chain 55 from within the building.

In event of fire or other emergency wherein prompt opening of the dampers is desired, heat emanating from the fire is. concentrated under the hood 14 and melts the fusible links 48 in cables 46. Thereafter the dampers by their own weight pivot downwardly about their outer hinges and lie substantially fiat against the side walls 20 of the curb flashing and curb as shown in Figure 2 and in broken lines in Figure 3. Thus the dampers in their full open position provide a maximum opening through which smoke, heat and gases generated by the fire within the building may pass through the upper structure of the ventilator. By way of example, a ventilator structure embodying my invention which is installed on .a roof opening ten feet long and ix feet wide provides. a free area opening when the dampers are fully open of 49.2 square feet or approximately 82% of the roof opening.

In order to provide for quick opening of the dampers by an individual within the building in event of an emergency, the drive end of reel 45 is telescoped over a shear sleeve 60, see Figure 11, connected by shear pin 61 to drive shaft 62 of the gear box 50. A quick-release pin 63 extends snugly through an aperture 6.4 in reel 45 and into a recess 65 in sleeve to couple the reel to the sleeve for rotation with shaft 62. Aperture 64 and recess 65 are located on the peripheries of the reel 45 and sleeve 60, respectively, such that when the dampers are closed, pin 63 and pull chain 66 connected thereto extend downwardly, as shown. When an operator within the building pulls on chain 66, pin 63 slides out ofrecess 65 and aperture 6.4,

uncoupling the reel 45 from gear box shaft 62 and the reel rotates under the weight of the dampers permitting the latter quickly to drop down to their full open position. A retaining chain 67 and ring 68 on reel 45 prevent the pin 63 from dropping into the building when the dampers are opened in this manner.

From the above description, it will be seen I have provided a roof ventilator that opens immediately in case of fire to provide a maximum area of exhaust opening to re lease heat, gases and smoke, from the interior of the building in case of fire or similar emergencies. The structure is designed to concentrate heat generated by a tire around the fusible links so that the appartus automatically responds quickly to open under such conditions and provide escape for smoke and gases. The wide opening afforded by the ventilator also permits effective fighting of fire from the roof of the building. The integral damper hinges are simply constructed, have no separate parts to freeze or corrode, and permit the dampers to swing open readily, when required, even when the ventilator has remained closed for extended periods of time. Manually controlled opening and closing of the dampers from the roof or from inside the building adapts the ventilator for normal use in ventilating the building without impairing its operation under emergency conditions. The vertically extending side and end baflles protect exhaust flow from wind currents when the ventilator is open, act as a safety guard around the ventilator and yet are sufiiciently short to give the ventilator a generally low silhouette.

The features of the ventilator herein described, in addition to facilitating exhaust of smoke and gases from within the building, also permit air to be drawn into the building at points proximate to the source of burning to provide oxygen for combustion and ergo reduce the smoke generated. In a factory building of substantial length and width wherein windows are remote from the more central parts of the building, a plurality of my ventilator units spaced appropriately over the entire roof area insures that air from outside the building can reach the critical zone, certain of the units adjacent the Zone being selectively opened to accomplish this result. Withal, my ventilator functions eifectively to reduce and/or eliminate smoke caused by uncontrolled fires in buildings by admitting air and/ or exhausting the smoke, thus facilitating fire fighting operations.

Modifications and changes to the above described preferred embodiment of my invention may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the precepts and principles of my invention. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described nor in any manner inconsistent with the degree my invention has advanced the art.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the type described having a damper and supporting structure with a side wall, the improve ment of a hinge construction by which said damper is pivotally supported on said side wall comprising a side Wall flange comprising an out-turned top strip on said side wall and an end leg extending downwardly from the outer end of said top strip and parallel with said side wall and defining an outwardly extending downwardly opening channel, and a damper flange comprising an outer leg extending downwardly from the outer side of said damper, a web extending inwardly from the lower end of said outer leg and an end leg extending upwardly from the inner end of said web and parallel with said outer leg and defining an upwardly opening channel, said end legs being vertically overlapped and laterally spaced from each other when the hinge is assembled and the damper is closed, said damper resting on said top strip with said damper end leg being disposed intermediate said side wall and said side wall end leg, the height of said legs and width of said web and top strip being sufiicient to permit rotation of the damper flange around said side wall flange.

2. Ventilating apparatus adapted to cover a roof opening and comprising flashing means having opposite side walls and end walls defining a ventilator opening and adapted to be supportedadjacent the roof opening and extend circumferentially around and upwardly from about the roof opening, a downwardly opening hood supported on the end walls of said flashing means above the top edges of the opposite side walls and covering a limited central area of said ventilator opening, damper means and means for hingedly supporting the same for swinging motion about longitudinal axes adjacent the tops of the opposite side walls, said damper means having outer portions closely overlying said side walls and inner portions closely underlying said hood when said damper means are in closed position, said damper means opening downwardly for permitting upward movement of smoke and gas through the roof opening, means within said hood for supporting said damper means in closed position and means on said end walls of said flashing means extending over the adjacent ends of said damper means when said damper means are in closed position.

3. The ventilator according to claim 2 with storm band baffle means carried by and circumferentially surrounding said first named flashing means and spaced outwardly from the side edges of the damper means and extending from below the side edges of said damper means to above the top of said hood.

4. The ventilator according to claim 2 in which said means to support said damper means comprises a reel supported under said hood, cable means on said reel and connected to said damper means and means to open said damper means.

5. The ventilator according to'claim 4 with fusible links disposed in said cable means intermediate said damper means and said reel respectively and stressed in tension by the weight of said damper means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 in which said reel comprises a pipe supported under said hood for rotation about its own axis and said apparatus includes means supported under said hood and adapted to be secured against rotation, means coacting with said pipe and said last named means for securing the pipe against rotation, and means for disengaging said securing means for releasing said pipe for rotation whereby to permit said damper means to swing down to said open position.

7. Ventilating apparatus adapted to cover a roof opening and comprising flashing means adapted to be supported adjacent the roof opening and extending circumferentially around and upwardly from about said roof opening, dampers hingedly supported adjacent the tops of opposite sides of said flashing means for swinging about longitudinally extending axes, a longitudinally extending hood supported on said ends of said flashing means and opening downwardly and covering a limited central area of said ventilator opening, said dampers having portions underlying said hood when said dampers are closed, the interior of said hood being adapted to be in communication with said roof opening when said dampers are supported in a closed position and means within said hood and including fusible elements stressed in tension by the weight of said dampers for supporting said dampers in the closed position.

8. The ventilator according to claim 7 in which said last named means comprises a reel supported under said hood and cable means on said reel and connected to said dampers and said fusible elements are disposed in said cable means intermediate said dampers and reel.

9. The ventilator according to claim 8 with means for manually actuating said reel for lowering said dampers from said closed to an open position.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 in which said reel comprises a pipe, and said apparatus includes means to support the pipe for rotation about its own axis, locking means releasably coacting with said pipe for releasably locking said pipe against rotation, and means for releasing said locking means and disengaging said pipe for rotation whereby to permit said dampers to swingdown to said open position.

11'. In roof ventilator apparatus adapted to cover a roof opening and open and close the same and comprising curb flashing with a vertical side wall and damper, the improvement of a hinge construction by which said damper is pivotally supported on said flashing side wall for downwardly opening movement relative thereto comprising a downwardly opening channel shaped flange projecting outwardly from the top of said flashing side wall and an upwardly opening channel shaped flange project ing inwardly from the outer side of said damper, each of said flanges having end leg portions which vertically overlap and are laterally spaced from each other when the hinge is assembled and the damper is closed, the width and depth of the channels of said flanges being suflicient to permit rotation of the damper flange around the flashing side wall flange, said damper extending substantially parallel with and adjacent said flashing side wall and said end leg portion of said damper flange lying t without said side wall flangewhen said damper is open.

12. Roof ventilating apparatus adapted to fit over an opening in a roof comprising curb flashing supported on the roof and surrounding said opening, said flashing having opposed vertical side walls extending the length of said opening and opposed vertical end walls extending the width of the opening, an elongated hood supported at its ends on said flashing end walls and extending over the length of and covering a limited central area of said opening, a pair of dampers on opposite sides of said hood and hinged to the side walls, respectively, of said curb flashing, said dampers having aclosed position extending between said hood and flashing side walls, respectively, and underlying a portion of said hood for covering the areas of said opening on either side of the hood and having a full open position extending downwardly adjacent the edges of said opening for permitting upward movement of smoke and gas through the opening, the interior of said hood having communication with said roof opening when said dampers are in said closed position, means for weatherproofing the end and inner side edges of said dampers when same are in the closed position, said means comprising inwardly extending channel shaped flanges on said flashing end walls and upwardly extending flanges on the end and inner side edges of said dampers, said damper end and inner side edge flanges being disposed in and under said flashing end wall flanges and said hood, respectively, when each damper is closed, and

" means within said hood for holding the dampers in the closed position.

13. Roof ventilating apparatus arranged to fit over an opening in a roof comprising curb flashing supported on the roof and surrounding said opening, said flashing having opposed vertical side walls extending the length of said opening and opposed vertical end walls extending the width of the opening, an elongated hood supported at its ends on said flashing end walls and extending over the length of and covering a limited central area of said opening, a pair of dampers on opposite sides of said hood and hinged to the side walls, respectively, of said curb flashing, said dampers having a closed position extending between said hood and flashing side walls respectively and underlying a portion of said hood for covering the areas of said opening on either side of the hood and a full open position extending downwardly adjacent the edges of said opening for permitting upward movement of smoke and gas through the opening, the interior of said hood having communication with said roof opening when said dampers are in said closed position, means for weatherproofing the end and inner side edges of said dampers when same are in the closed position, means within said hood for holding the dampers in the closed position, and side and end baffles carried on said curb flashing and spaced outwardly from the outer side edges of the dampers from below the damper to above the top of said hood.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 44,196 Hyslop Sept. 13, 1864 677,176 Cochran June 25, 1901 1,380,207 Hogstrom May 31, 1921 1,418,732 Peterman June 6, 1922 1,785,540 Black Dec. 16, 1930 1,850,793 Hawes Mar. 22, 1932 2,100,785 McDerment Nov. 30, 1937 2,263,846 Herman et al Nov. 25, 1941 2,668,491 Gerlitz Feb. 9, 1954 

